e2e Offers New Biocomposite Materials

Wood, metals, and plastic are all beginning to give way to a new category of materials that combine the best properties of each along with advanced properties. Many of them come from renewable stock utilizing biomaterials as the raw ingredients. One manufacturer of such biocomposites is e2e Materials, which is producing a range of plant-based products which the company describes as “like a form molded plastic – but stronger, fire resistant, biodegradable and looks like wood.”

The e2e Materials products are formaldehyde-free. The feedstocks used to create these materials include rapidly renewable resources including soy flour and jute, flax, and kenaf fibers. Furthermore, they can require as much as 80% less energy consumption to create the material.

In addition to having no formaldehyde, e2e products have no toxins or petroleum in them. The products are also naturally flame retardant.

The company is just opening its first manufacturing plant in upstate New York. Eventually, the company plans to have manufacturing plants distributed across the country with the intent to “address market demand within a radius of 500 miles with the agricultural feedstocks intended to be sourced within 100 miles of the facility.”

The LEED perspective in this is pretty clear, and this would eventually contribute to several LEED credits, including Rapidly Renewable Materials, Regional Materials, and Low-Emitting Materials.

Ultimately, the company believes this will be a market worth $100 billion annually. Uses for biocomposite materials include not only building materials and furniture, but also automotive components and packaging.